Nut-lock.



BATENTED AUG. a, 1905.

f i l 'y NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NUT-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1905.

Application filed October 5, 19011. Serial N0` 227,238.

To @ZZ whom/ it may cm1/06min Be it known that I, EDWIN WALLACE STE-vENs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Carey, in thecounty of Wyoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Nut-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of lock wherein aplurality of nuts are placed upon a shank having diiferentlythreadedportions, said nuts being locked against relative movement. The objectin the present case is to provide a novel structure of the sort whereinthe nuts are securely held against relative movement by a simple lockingdevice that can be readily applied and is itself fastened againstdetachment when in position. However, the said nuts can be unlocked andtaken oif, if desired, without in any way injuring the same or the shankupon which they are placed.

The preferred form of construction is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, where- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of arail-joint, showing the improved lock. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewtherethrough. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 14 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 isa detail view of the locking device.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated a bolt is employedcomprising' a shank 6, having at one end a head 7 said shank beingprovided with a reduced portion at its other end in the form of a stem8. The stem 8 is threaded in one direction, while the portion directlyadjacent thereto is threaded in an opposite direction, as shown in Fig.2, and is designated 9.

A nut 10 is screwed upon the threaded portion 9 and projects beyond theouter end of the stem, overlying the reduced portion 8 andbeing spacedtherefrom to leave a recess 11. Another nut 12 is threaded on saidreduced portion and is preferably of such a size that its outer faceswill aline with those of the nut 10. The nuts are provided in theiradjacent ends with radially-disposed slots 13, which are adapted to beplaced in alinement, the lines of direction of said slots intersectingthe reduced portion 8 of the shank. It

v the space 11.

will thus be apparent by reference to Fig. 2 that the slots in the outernut 12 extend directly to said reduced portion 8 of the shank, while theslots in the inner nut 10 extend to A locking device in the form of ametallic strip 14 is adapted to iit in any of the sets of alined slots,and thus bridge the joints between the nuts. This strip is preferablylonger than the slots in which it tits and is provided at its inner endwith a nib 15, arranged to pass through the slot of the inner nut 10 andenter in thel space between said nut and the reduced portion 8 of theshank.

In using this structure the shank of the bolt is passed through thearticles to be secured in the usual manner, and the nut 10 is screwedhome upon the threaded portion 9. The nut 12 is then screwed upon thereduced portion 8 until it rests fiat against the outer end of the nut1() and the slots are in alinement. The key or fastening device 14 isthereupon driven into one of the sets of alined slots, and the nib 15,passing therethrough, will enter the space 11 and striking the reducedportion 8 will be offset, as illustrated in Eig. 3. The outer end of thekey may then be bent over, as illustrated. Now it will be observed thatas the nuts must move in opposite directions in order to be taken fromthe shank and as the key holds them against relative movement said nutswill be locked securely upon the shank, and, furthermore, that the keyis also fastened in place. There is thus no danger of the nuts becomingloosened or disengaged from the shank by jars, vibrations, or anyordinary contingencies. If, however, it becomes necessary or desirableto remove the nuts, it is only necessary to apply a powerful wrench tothe outer one and turn the same to the right, whereupon the key will beneatly cut in two, this being due to the fact that the outer edges ofthe slot-walls are made as sharp as possible in order that they mayconstitute cutting edges. As soon as the key has been thus severed theouter portion will turn readily with the outer nut and said outer nutmay be removed, where.- upon the inner nut may be also disengaged fromthe shank. A simple and secure lock is thus provided, which whileperhaps particularly useful on railroads and similar places isapplicable to machinery and articles of various sorts.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will beapparent tothose skilled in the art withoutfurther description, and it will heunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacriicing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a nut-lock, the Combination with a shank, having portions ofdifferent diameters threaded in opposite directions, of a nut screwedupon the larger portion, another nut screwed upon the smaller portion,said nuts having in their adjacent faces slots that are adapted toaline, said slots having their lines of direction intersecting the bolt,and a key arranged to be driven into the alined slots and having alongitudinally-projecting nib at its inner end and at one side, said nibbeing of less width than the key and being arranged to be passed throughone of the slots and be upset against the holt.

2. In a nut-lock, the combination with a shank having a larger innerportion threaded in one direction and a smaller outer portion threadedin an opposite direction, of a nut screwed upon the larger portion andprojecting beyond the same, said projecting portion overlying thesmaller portion of the shank and being spaced therefrom, another nutscrewed upon the smaller portion of the shank, said nuts having alinedslots in their adjacent ends, and a locking-key driven into the alinedslot and having a nib at its inner end that is of less width than thekey, is passed through the slot of the nut that is on the larger portionof the bolt, is abutted against the smaller portion of the shank andupset in the space between the same and the inner nut.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aXed mysignature inthe presence of two witnesses.

EDVIN WALLACE STEVENS. lfitnesses:

E. L. DE PUE, E. J. LITTLE.

